By Sarah NEGEDU
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has called on host communities to support investors, so as to enable businesses expand jobs and encourage industrial growth.
Wike, who gave the advice when he commissioned the new corporate headquarters of Giolee Global Resources in Port Harcourt over the weekend, stressed that communities play a critical role in allowing companies operate without hindrance.
The minister remind state and local authorities of the need to ease bureaucratic processes for investors, especially in accessing land documentation such as Certificates of Occupancy.
According to him, “One of the things to ease of making business is to make sure that those people have access by having the certificate of occupancy for them to have access to the bank,” he said.
Wike, who expressed surprise at the scale of the project, said, “When the managing director came to invite me to come and commission a corporate office, I was thinking it’s like a one block building. On getting to this place, I never knew that we have such a gigantic infrastructure.”
He commended the company for sustaining operations over the years and building a facility he described as impressive.
“It’s one thing to establish a company, it’s one thing to run the company, manage it well, and it turns out this way,” he added.
He welcomed the company’s decision to site the project in Port Harcourt instead of Lagos or Abuja, saying such choices boost employment and internally generated revenue.
“I’m happy with you, that you did not go and establish this in Lagos or Abuja. That you have to provide this here, employ our people, and pay taxes to the government, that is an encouragement,” he said.
The Minister also highlighted Giolee Global’s corporate social responsibility efforts, including the provision of a 500KVA transformer and payment of school fees for 50 students.
“There are so many companies that don’t care about corporate social responsibility… you are paying school fees of 50 students, that is very, very commendable,” he stated.
He added that the company’s decision to open its facility for excursions would help science students gain practical exposure to industrial processes.
“You have made it available that students who study science can come here for excursion and look at what it takes. That is also an encouragement to our people,” he said.
In his remarks, Managing Director of Giolee Global Resources, Lesi Mail, thanked the Minister for attending the ceremony and acknowledged his record in infrastructure development both in Rivers State and the FCT.
Mail listed the company’s CSR commitments to include the provision of a 500KVA transformer for the host community, payment of school fees for 50 graduate students, job opportunities for local youths, and continued access for secondary school students on industrial excursions.
